Through a series of stunning short films made for various Dolce
& Gabbana advertising campaigns, Italian filmmaker and photographer Pepe
Russo is showing the world the mystic beauty of the beloved city in which he was raised.
Born in 1977 in the fabled metropolis of Naples, Pepe Russo is
the creative force behind some of Dolce & Gabbana’s most beautiful and
poetic ad campaigns. The collaboration came about after Russo was discovered by
Dolce & Gabbana co-founder Stefano Gabbana who ran across the young
filmmaker’s projects on Instagram. Gabbana asked him to create something
similar for his company that would “explain the DNA of their brand.” Up to that
point, the campaigns had been shot mainly in Domenico Dolce’s home region of Sicily
using high-profile filmmakers like Guiseppe Tornatore, Martin Scorsese, Paolo Sorrentino and Monica
Bellucci. Russo was thrilled and went right to work on his first project, which
turned out to be a love story shot in black and white that reveals both the beauty
and irony of the Neapolitan culture.
Amazingly, Russo did not study photography or filmmaking. He began this
adventure by using his father’s camera and that’s when fate took over and this extraordinary
talent of his was unleashed. To say that Russo’s short films are beautiful is
an understatement. They are masterpieces that speak to the tradition,
culture and mystery of Naples. You end up watching them over and over again because each scene is so filled with meaning and no detail is
arbitrary. The lush, seductive vignettes in color as well as black-and-white exude nostalgia while showing the alluring modern city that
Naples is today. In addition to drawing his inspiration from the area’s natural
resources and unique architecture, he is also intrigued and inspired by the
people, whose own personalities often naturally come out during shooting.
Dolce & Gabbana gives Russo the freedom to tell the
stories of his city and more often than not, he is drawn to love. In the beginning of his collaboration
with Dolce & Gabbana, he shot and edited the films. He recently began
working with fellow Neapolitan Diego Perrini, who helps with the shooting so
that Russo could focus more on directing. He openly admits to not being a
fashion photographer. Therefore, he doesn’t use actors or models in his films.
He relies on the uniqueness and expressions of faces when searching for his
protagonists.
Pepe Russo |
Russo and I are connected on social media. After seeing so
many of his stunning pictures, I wanted to know the story behind his work. So I
asked him about his creativity, background and future plans. What I discovered
is possibly one of Italy’s future great directors.
I read that you inherited an old camera from your father.
Yes, when my father died, I was 20 and started to use his
camera. I like to say that I inherited a camera and a lot of curiosity from my
father.
Did you study photography or does it just come naturally to
you?
I studied photography just by watching masters such as
Henri Cartier Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Man Ray, and also important Neapolitan photographers like Mimmo Jodice and Antonio Biasucci. Jodice was a great
inspiration for me. Through his photos, I started to see the places where I live
in a poetic way, understanding the power of photography to say something
beautifull without words.
Which specific qualities of your city inspire you to make
these beautiful, creative short films?
Napoli is a wonderful natural set from the amazing
landscape with Vesuvius in the background to the smallest street of the
ancient center. And also the people.. Napolitans are full of traditions, humor,
irony, even if they don't live in great situations. I'm not the first, and surely not the last to draw inspiration from this city. A lot of artists are born here and a lot come from other countries because Napoli is a special city. In my short films, I like to let the characters move naturally in regular daily life places. In particular, I like love stories.
How did your collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana come
about?
Mr. Stefano Gabbana watched my short movie on instagram and
ask me to write a short story to explain the DNA of their brand. Usually their ads draw ispiration from Sicily, so when I had the opportunity, I
tried to tell a story in the mood of Napoli. The first video I shot for them was
a black and white movie, a love story, but with some irony.. a Neapolitan
touch!
There are so many details in these spots. What went into
creating the sets and doing the location scouting? What was your process in
finding these perfect, beautiful "sets"?
Napoli is a big natural set. My scouting
is just a walk down the street! Every corner has a sacred image, old seventeenth
century buildings with stripped walls.
What do you want to communicate to the world about Napoli
through these stories?
I love to show the traditions. My story has no time. And
Napoli is a universal timeless city. Usually Napoli is under the focus for bad
news and crime. I hope to give a better image of the city. There is a lot
of beauty here.
Tell me about your filmmaking aspirations.
I hope one day to direct a real movie...it's a dream. So for now, I'll continue to work as a photographer and try to do my best...
Through these stories, Russo hopes to communicate a
different message to the world about Naples and that message is indeed
spreading. Dolce & Gabbana actively posts his work on all its social media platforms,
which are viewed thousands of times over by curious people all over the globe
interested in the tradition, eternal beauty and rich history of Naples. Given his vision and talent,
there is no doubt that Russo's dream of directing a feature film will one day come true.
Pepe Russo’s short films for Dolce & Gabbana, including
the spots from his most recent campaign, Pieces of History, are easily
available on the company’s social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter and YouTube.
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